By Jennifer Braddock – Editor

I’m an introvert. Not the “I’m shy in crowds” kind of introvert, the full-on, INFP, “please-don’t-make-me-network” kind.

According to introverted influencer Susan Cain, that makes me part of the American introverted majority. So why does it feel like the extroverts run the whole book-selling world?

An INFP, according to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), stands for Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Perceiving. It’s a personality type often referred to as the “Mediator” or “Idealist”.

INFPs are known for our strong values, empathy, creativity, and desire to make the world a better place. We are often described as quiet, thoughtful, and imaginative, preferring deep, meaningful connections over superficial ones.

That’s pretty much right on.

Writing? That’s my jam. I can sit with a cup of coffee, dive deep into my imaginary world, and produce something beautiful. Selling it? Talking to strangers? Holding eye contact while explaining my book’s plot in an elevator pitch? That’s not art. That’s torture. The dark side of creativity.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of INFPs:

  • Introverted (I) We gain energy from spending time alone, reflecting on our thoughts and feelings, and pursuing creative projects. Socializing can be draining for us, and we often need time alone to recharge. 
  • Intuitive (N) We focus on the big picture, possibilities, and abstract ideas rather than concrete details. We’re drawn to the potential of things and enjoy exploring new concepts. 
  • Feeling (F) We make decisions based on our emotions and values, considering how our choices will impact others. We are empathetic and compassionate, often putting the needs of others before our own. 
  • Perceiving (P) We stay open to new information. We embrace new experiences. We adapt to changing situations rather than sticking to rigid plans. We are flexible, spontaneous, and enjoy exploring different options.

Let’s face it. Book groups don’t buy books. Writing groups admire craft, but members have their own books to push. I’ve learned that readers aren’t always found in the places writers congregate.

I started carrying a box of books in my car, just in case. It’s a tiny act of defiance. It’s a gentle challenge to my own introversion. It also challenges the expectation that I must “hustle” like an extroverted influencer watering plants in TikTok videos.

If you’re like me, here’s some low-impact advice for getting your book out there without melting down:

  1. Start with your comfort zone and stretch it: You’re not trying to become someone else. INFPs like me can become “extroverted on demand,” bubbly for a short time. Sign up for a local author event or indie book fair. Not every week, just one. It’s a live reading, not a pitch session. One small step.
  2. Carry your books everywhere: Seriously, having them in your car or luggage is very helpful. I’ve left one in the cruise ship library and waiting rooms. It makes the leap to “Sure, I’ve got a copy!” easier. Mention your book casually at the post office, dentist, coffee shop. You’re not selling. You’re sharing a part of yourself.
  3. Use your introvert superpower: connection.
    You don’t have to shout to be heard. Readers remember genuine moments. Write a thoughtful email. Send a handwritten thank you. Make one real connection instead of fifty awkward elevator pitches.
  4. Let your book speak first.
    Display a small sign or wear a pin with your book title or cover art. Let them ask. You’re still the author, just with a secret weapon: curiosity.
  5. Build passive visibility.
    Put up a website or landing page with a short, heartfelt bio. Join Bookshop.org or BookFunnel. Post quietly on social media: one quote, one photo, one line from your book. No dancing required.

Get out there! Extroverts run the big, noisy parts of the world, but we introverts? We build something lasting. We listen, we feel, and we write stories that stay with people. It’s okay to sell softly. You’re not a performer. You’re a creator. Let your creation do some of the work.

Remember to keep a box of books in the car.

Do you have questions or comments? Ask Besty Bot about the writing craft and how to publish your book with Best Chance Media!

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📚 I’m an introvert. Writing the book? No problem. Talking about it in public? 😬 Different story. Selling your work as an INFP (or any kind of introvert) doesn’t mean becoming someone you’re not. It just means finding ways to connect instead of perform. I started carrying a box of books in my car. Not to pitch, just to be ready. You never know when someone might ask, “Wait… you wrote a book?” Small steps. Quiet impact. Keep going. #IntrovertAuthor #INFPWriter #QuietMarketing #SusanCainSaidSo #WritersLife #IndieAuthorLife #BookMarketingForIntroverts #SlowBurnSuccess #GentleVisibility #BooksInMyTrunk #IntrovertPower #INFPclub #BookishPost #IndieBooksMatter https://bestchancemedia.org/2025/09/18/an-introverts-guide-to-selling-your-book-without-selling-your-soul-lets-be-honest-shouting-from-a-booth-isnt-our-thing/

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Published by Alan O’Hashi, Whole Brain Thinker

I’ve been involved with community journalism since 1968 when I wrote for my junior school paper, the "Tumbleweed," through high school and college and then wrote for the "Wyoming State Journal." I put aside my newspaper pen and began Boulder Community Media in 2005. There wasn’t much community journalism opportunity, so I resurrected my writing career as a screenwriter. My first short screenplay, “Stardust”, won an award in the 2005 Denver Screenwriting Center contest. I've made a number of movies over the years. Filmmaking is time-consuming, labor and equipment intensive. I recently changed my workflow to first write a book and make a movie based on that content. - Electric Vehicle Anxiety and Advice - This is a memoir travelogue of three trips covering 2,600 EV miles around Wyoming (2022) - Beyond Heart Mountain - Winter Goose Publishers released my memoir in February (2022) - The Zen of Writing with Confidence and Imperfection - This is a book recounting how luck planed into my signing a book deal after a 15-minute pitch meeting. (2020) - True Stories of an Aging Baby Boomer - War stories about living in a cohousing and lessons others can learn when starting their communities (2021) - Beyond Sand Creek - About Arapaho tribal efforts to repatriate land in Colorado (PBS - TBA) - Beyond Heart Mountain - Based on my memoir about my childhood in Cheyenne facing overt and subtle racism toward the Japanese following World War II (PBS - 2021) - New Deal Artist Public Art Legacy - About artists who created work in Wyoming during the Great Depression (PBS - 2018) - Mahjong and the West - SAG indie feature which premiered at the semi-important Woodstock Film Festival (2014) Over the years, I’ve produced directed, filmed and/or edited several short movies, “Running Horses” (Runner Up – Wyoming Short Film Contest), “On the Trail: Jack Kerouac in Cheyenne” (Lowell Celebrates Kerouac Festival, Top 10 Wyoming Short Film Contest), “Gold Digger” (Boulder Asian Film Festival), “Adobo” (Boulder International Film Festival), “A Little Bit of Discipline” (Rosebud Film Series), and two feature length documentaries “Your Neighbor’s Child” (Wyoming PBS and Rocky Mountain PBS), and “Serotonin Rising” (American Film Market, Vail Film Festival). He also directed and produced the award winning stage play “Webster Street Blues” by my childhood friend Warren Kubota. Boulder Community Media is a non-profit production company dedicated to democratzing media in all their forms - large and small screens, printed page and stage by providing sustainable and community-based content. I mostly work with community-based media producers, organizations, and socially-responsible businesses to develop their content via – the written word, electronic and new media, the visual and performing arts in a culturally competent manner – I’m what’s commonly called a niche TV and movie producer. Along with all this is plying my forte’ – fund development through grant writing, sponsorship nurturing and event planning.

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